Football | Africa

Foxes get their man

Algeria Football Federation says Fifa has cleared French-born Yacine Brahimi to play for Algeria following a request from the North African football body based on the player’s parentage.

The 23-year-old Granada midfielder is among half a dozen foreign born players the Algerian FA has been persuading to come back home ahead of the 2014 World Cup qualifying set for next month.

“FIFA has forwarded to the Algerian Football Federation (FAF) the official decision to qualify Yacine Brahimi for Algeria. The player is now eligible to play for our national team,” a communiqué from the Algerian football body said on Thursday.

Brahimi was loaned to the Spanish club last year from French Ligue 1 side Stade Rennais. He has represented France in the junior categories but was yet to receive any invitation to the senior team.

Algeria are also courting Bologna midfielder Saphir Taider and Nabil Ghilas of Portuguese club Moreirense. Both players were born in France to Algerian parents.